SEC working with Treasury, Fed on Bear Stearns

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said on Friday it has been in close contact with the Department of Treasury, the Federal Reserve and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York during talks about an agreement by JPMorgan Chase & Co to provide financing to Bear Stearns Cos Inc.

"We will continue to work closely together in a way that contributes to orderly and liquid markets," the agency said in a statement.

JPMorgan and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York agreed to provide emergency financing to the investment bank after it said its cash position had deteriorated sharply.

(Reporting by Rachelle Younglai, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)